Find Unclaimed Money in Andrews County

Andrews County is one of Texas's most active oil and gas counties, which means unclaimed mineral royalties are a major category of unclaimed money here. The Texas Comptroller holds funds reported by banks, energy companies, utilities, and other businesses in Andrews County that could not reach the rightful owner. Whether you are searching under your own name or a family member's, the free search at ClaimItTexas.gov covers everything the state holds for Andrews County residents. This page walks you through every step, from search to claim.

Andrews County Unclaimed Money Search

Start every search at ClaimItTexas.gov. The Texas Comptroller's portal lets you search by name at no cost. Type in a first and last name, add the city if you want to narrow results, and the system pulls any matching unclaimed property on file. You can search for yourself, a business you owned, or a relative. There is no limit on how many names you can look up.

Under Texas Property Code § 72.101, property becomes presumed abandoned after three years of no contact or activity. Once that period passes, the holder must report and remit the funds to the Comptroller. Andrews County businesses, including banks and oil and gas operators, are subject to the same annual reporting deadline. Holders must file reports by July 1 each year under § 74.101.

The ClaimItTexas.gov portal is the official state search tool covering all unclaimed property reported by Andrews County businesses and residents.

Once you find a match, click through to start the claim online. You can also call 800-321-2274 or email unclaimed.property@cpa.texas.gov for help with any step in the process.

Mineral Royalties and Oil and Gas Records

Andrews County sits in the Permian Basin, one of the most productive oil and gas regions in the United States. That makes unclaimed mineral royalties a significant category here. When an oil or gas company cannot locate a royalty owner, they must report and remit those payments to the Texas Comptroller under the standard three-year dormancy rule in § 72.101. These amounts can be substantial. Years of accumulated royalties on an inherited mineral interest can add up quickly.

If you or a family member ever owned land or mineral rights in Andrews County, the search at ClaimItTexas.gov is the right starting point. But the Texas Railroad Commission is also a valuable resource. The RRC maintains records on all oil and gas leases, wells, and operators in Andrews County. If you know a lease exists but aren't sure who the current operator is, the RRC website at rrc.texas.gov lets you search by lease name, operator, or county. Identifying the operator can help you figure out which company may have reported royalties to the state.

The Andrews County official website at co.andrews.tx.us has links to the County Clerk, where deed records and mineral interest filings are maintained. A title search at the County Clerk's office can help you trace ownership history on any parcel with mineral rights in Andrews County.

The County Clerk in Andrews maintains deed records and instruments of conveyance that can help you trace ownership of mineral interests tied to unclaimed royalty payments.

Note: The Texas Railroad Commission's mineral interest database and the Comptroller's unclaimed property program are separate systems. Check both when searching for unclaimed mineral royalties in Andrews County.

Texas Property Code and Andrews County

The Texas Property Code governs how unclaimed money is handled from start to finish. Title 6 covers all aspects of the state's unclaimed property program. Chapter 72 sets dormancy periods. Chapter 74 governs how holders report and remit property. Chapter 76 addresses property held at the county level.

Under § 76.201, counties must publish lists of unclaimed property valued at $100 or less. Andrews County may hold small amounts locally through the county treasurer's office, separate from the main state program. The amounts are typically small, but it is worth asking the county treasurer's office directly if you believe you have a local claim.

Payroll checks and wages have a shorter dormancy period under § 72.1015. Employers must report unclaimed wages to the state after just one year of the owner's unknown location. If you ever worked for an employer in Andrews County and did not receive a final paycheck, it may already be in the state system even if only a year has passed since you last worked there.

Chapter 76 of the Texas Property Code outlines what counties must do with small amounts of unclaimed property and how they publish those lists for residents to find and claim.

Claiming Andrews County Unclaimed Funds

Filing a claim is free and starts at ClaimItTexas.gov. Select the property from your search results and follow the on-screen steps to complete the claim form. You will get a Claim ID right away that lets you track status online using the claim status tool. Most claims are processed within 90 days. You can mail documents to: Comptroller of Public Accounts, Unclaimed Property Claims Section, P.O. Box 12046, Austin, TX 78711-2046.

What documents you need depends on the property type and the amount. Small claims under $100 usually need only a valid photo ID and proof of address. Larger claims and mineral royalty claims may require additional documentation. The documentation requirements page on ClaimItTexas.gov has a full list organized by property type. For unclaimed mineral royalties specifically, you may need to show your connection to the mineral interest, such as a deed, probate order, or recorded mineral deed from the Andrews County Clerk.

If you are claiming on behalf of a deceased relative who owned mineral rights in Andrews County, you may need a Texas Estates Code Affidavit of Heirship or a court order. Complex mineral interest claims sometimes take longer than standard cash claims. Calling 800-321-2274 early in the process can save time and prevent missing documents from delaying your claim.

For questions and help at any point, reach out to the Unclaimed Property Division at claimittexas.gov/app/contact-us, by phone at 800-321-2274, or by email at unclaimed.property@cpa.texas.gov. The FAQ page also answers common questions about mineral interest claims, $0 value listings, and what to do when multiple heirs have a claim to the same property.

Additional Search Resources

Andrews County is in West Texas near the New Mexico state line. If your family had ties to New Mexico or any other neighboring state, unclaimed funds may be in those state programs too. Search the national database at unclaimed.org to cover multiple states in a single search. MissingMoney.com is another free national tool that works the same way.

The public transparency database at data.texas.gov contains a downloadable listing of Texas unclaimed property records. You can filter this data by name or county to find listings that may not appear immediately in a ClaimItTexas.gov search. It is the same underlying data but in a format that lets you sort and filter more freely.

Nearby Counties

All Texas unclaimed property claims go through the state program regardless of county. If you have connections to neighboring counties in the Permian Basin, search those names too.